12th Celebrate the Sea Brunei, 7 to 9 June 2013

Announcing the Most Influential Event of the Ocean in Asia Pacific - The 12th Celebrate the Sea Festival Brunei, 7 to 9 June at The Empire Hotel

Now into its 12th year, the Celebrate the Sea Festival is to be staged in Brunei Darussalam to celebrate World Ocean Day from 7 to 9 June 2013, positioning the country in supporting the conservation and management of sharks through ban of Importation of shark fins and proposed ban of all shark fins’ products in Brunei Darussalam

Celebrate the Sea is the biggest underwater imagery festival outside of Europe in alliance with the ‘World Festival of Underwater Pictures’ (Festival Mondial de l'Image Sous Marine) is staged annually in Marseille, France (now in its 40th year). Celebrate the Sea festival is seen as the dominant platform to promote conservation, marine tourism, providing education and entertainment to create a greater awareness of our ocean environment. The world’s best marine images and films have a powerful effect to influence conservation of the ocean to both the diving and non-diving community.

Over the last decade, Celebrate the Sea Underwater Imagery Festival has been graced by celebrated luminaries such as Stan Waterman, world acclaimed ocean conservationist Sylvia Earle PhD, National Geographic explorer Emory Kristof, David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Michelle and Howard Hall, Daniel Mercier, founder of the world Underwater Picture Festival, celebrated underwater cinematographer Peter Scoones of BBC Blue Planet five times world record free diving champion Frederic Buyle. International participants have included both novice and professional photographers, children, together with a global audience of nature and ocean lovers.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei Darussalam, OceanNEnvironment looks forward to staging the most exciting festival in the city of Brunei Darussalam. To celebrate the marine heritage of Brunei Darussalam, one of the highlights of the 2013 festival is an underwater photography shootout from 3-7 June with a prize money of USD 5000 cash.

Since its inception in 2002, the Celebrate the Sea Festival has seen participation from over 38 countries. With the Brunei Darussalam as role model, to declare the ban of importation of sharks fins and proposed ban of all shark fins’ products in Brunei Darussalam on World Oceans Day 8 June, 2013. The primary objective of the festival still remains: to have every country in the world dedicate a day to remember and celebrate the sea. If and when it is achieved, then most certainly, the current state of the sea will have hope for the coming generations of humanity.

The 2013 festival will comprise of imagery presentations and seminars by a panel of celebrated underwater luminaries, image makers and marine scientists. One of the principal highlights is the International Underwater film festival. 15 recent award winning features from the World Festival of Underwater Pictures, Marsielle will be presented at the 2013 festival. There will also be a photo exhibition of benchmarked underwater images by some of the world’s best from the Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year competition.

The Celebrate the Sea Festival is a non-profit event funded and co-produced by OceanNEnvironment Australia and the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei Darussalam.